But i wasn't a liar ✔️[ENG ver]

Part 36

Part 36

Leeknow groaned as he sat up, rubbing the back of his stiff neck. Sleeping on the floor had left his muscles protesting, and his head throbbed dully in time with his pulse. He squinted at the clock—6:45 AM—and his eyes flew open.

"Hyunjin!" he called, scrambling to his feet. "Wake up, we're late for—"

The bed was empty. The blankets were neatly folded, pillow fluffed—as if Hyunjin had never been there at all.

"Oh," Leeknow murmured, running a hand through his sleep-mussed hair "Maybe he left already."

A strange pang of disappointment settled in his chest. He shuffled toward the kitchen, still half-asleep—then froze.

The small table was set. Steam curled from a plate of gyeran-mari (rolled omelet), perfectly golden, alongside a bowl of rice and a still-warm cup of coffee. The kind Leeknow liked—black with just a hint of sugar.

His breath caught.

There, beside the cup, was a small folded note.

Leeknow picked it up carefully, as if it might disappear. The handwriting was unmistakably Hyunjin's—neat, but with that slight slant he always had when he wrote quickly.

Good morning, Hyung. I hope you like it. I'm sorry for last night.

A slow smile spread across Leeknow's face.

"You crazy boy," he whispered, shaking his head.

And just like that, the lingering ache in his neck didn't seem to matter anymore.

The school courtyard was quiet, bathed in the soft gold of early sunlight. Hyunjin sat on the steps, his math workbook open in his lap, pencil scratching against paper as he worked through equations. But his focus wavered—his eyes kept drifting to the school gates, waiting for a familiar figure to appear.

With a sigh, he snapped the book shut. "Come on, Leeknow," he muttered, checking his watch again "I'm bored."

Across the courtyard, laughter bubbled up as Yeji, Han, Lia, and Bangchan arrived, their voices carrying on the crisp morning air. Hyunjin glanced up, watching them for a moment before returning to his book—though his mind wasn't on numbers anymore.

Han stretched lazily "How much time is left for the experiments?"

Lia smirked "I guess 3 or about 4 months."

Yeji nudged Han playfully "What's up, Han! Do you want to start today?" Her tone was light, teasing.

Han held up his hands in surrender "No thanks. Let the studying be for you, Leeknow, and Hyunjin. I don't want to."

Lia laughed "They're smart all the time, Han."

Yeji's attention shifted as she plucked Bangchan's hat off his head, perching it on her own with a grin.

Bangchan chuckled "It fits you a lot."

Yeji adjusted it proudly "Hmm, I know."

Then, her gaze landed on Hyunjin, hunched over his notebook, pencil moving absently. Curious, she wandered over.

Hyunjin, lost in thought, was sketching—not math, but something else entirely. A face? A memory? He didn't even realize he'd been caught until—

"Hyunjin?"

He jolted, slamming the book shut "Ye... yeah!"

Yeji tilted her head "Apparently, Leeknow hasn't come yet. Come with us if you want."